Written by: Sadaf Shahzad
Posted on: March 16, 2021 | 
| 中文
Sheikh Mohammad Jahangir sitting at a window of his restored house in Gali Surjan Singh (photo credit to Asad Zaidi_World Bank)
Recently, social media in Pakistan has been buzzing with photos of Galli Surjan Singh, located in the old Walled City of Lahore. People were left awestruck by pictures of a street that looked colorful and immaculate, with pots of flowers and lanterns only adding to the beauty that already existed in the stunning old architecture and brickwork. This renewed effort by the Walled City Lahore Authority (WCLA) to clean and upgrade the street has been a part of a larger, community-inclusive heritage restoration that has taken place there in recent years.
New Lights and Plants in the Street (Photo credits to the WCLA)
The Walled City of Lahore is famous for its dense network of narrow, curvy and enmeshed streets (galis) that usually end in a huge bazaar or a square (chowk). The streets themselves were purposely built by the Mughals and later developed by the Sikhs, to confuse invaders. Indeed, these labyrinth-like streets of varying sizes that seemingly have no end, are enough to confuse and stop present day tourist in their tracks, like the warriors entering the city for the first time.
Tourists Visiting Gali Surjan Singh (photo credit to the WCLA)
These closely knit neighborhoods became home to a culture of community and social cohesion. With houses less than a metre distance from each other, the residents could talk to each other from their respective balconies, while houses were open to anyone who wished to enter. The cramped street is still home to tea stalls, corner stores, and high platforms outside houses called tharas. The tharas became communal spaces for residents to come together in the evenings, talk to each other and discuss the events of the day.
Surjan Singh Street is believed to have been built in 1849, and is named after Hakim Surjan Singh, a highly respected doctor of his time who often treated royalty. This street joins together with another narrow street called ‘Gali Ghubarichian’ to form a complex known as Koocha Charakh Garan (or Kucha Chargaran). This is a neighborhood of about 23 buildings with houses as old as 400 years. Most of the buildings were made in the late 19th or early 20th century, and the old families have stayed on in their residences.
Surjan Singh Street
In order to reach the Surjan Singh street, people have to enter the Walled City from the famous Dehli Gate, built by Akbar in 1566. One has to walk past the beautiful ‘Shahi Hammam (Royal Bathhouse)’ on the left, and about three streets down on the right is the Koocha Charkh Garan complex.
Surjan Singh Street has a special place in Old Lahore’s history because it was one of the first places in the Walled City to be restored by the Government of Punjab, World Bank and Agha Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in 2011, although restoration efforts began as early as 2007. According to the project managers, it was vital for them to move forward with the restoration efforts with the consent and collaboration of the community which already resided there. AKTC has trained local craftsmen to restore the decaying wood with new treated wood and limestone.
Gali Surjan Singh From Inside a Haveli (Photo credits to the WCLA)
The preservation efforts were incredibly successful, with very little detail spared. AKTC reported that a total of 23 houses had been restored, with 13 fully restored and the encroachments outside the street removed. The rough streets were properly paved, and the water sewage system replaced. Meanwhile, underground gas pipelines were set up and underground telecommunication wiring installed to bring modern facilities into the Old City. New bathrooms and kitchens were added into the houses, much to the joy of the local residents. UNESCO recognized and applauded the efforts for the uplift of the street, while the government and AKTC set their sights on preserving the Hammam and Wazir Khan Mosque.
Many of the residents felt a sense of pride and ownership, having been incorporated into the restoration process. In my recent trip to see the new renovations, I was left pleasantly surprised by the locals’ willingness to talk about their homes and the conservation efforts. They were very happy to live in a street that was clean, rid of rodents and updated with modern facilities. Meanwhile local performers came to play their instruments, their wonderful music echoing in the street. It was a heartening sight to see and hear the locals who were willing to share their lives and heritage with outsiders.
Ghara player in Gali Surjan Singh (Photo credits to Gali Surjan Singh on Facebook)
Among the painful stories of heritage monuments being lost to time, decay and neglect, Gali Surjan Singh stands out as a hopeful reminder that community-driven preservation is possible. Neighborhoods such as Koocha Charakh Garan have been sites of vibrant community activity, and therefore it is only logical to include this culture in the restoration project. Many are hopeful that such projects can be undertaken in other parts of the Walled City, to preserve and celebrate the historic and lively culture of Old Lahore.
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